Singapore motorists nabbed for RM75m outstanding traffic fines

Malaysian traffic police have collected 4,200 outstanding traffic fines from Singapore motorists in an operation that began last Friday, in which most had been summoned for speeding, The Straits Times reported.

Motorists with outstanding fines were caught at three locations in Johor Baru, the Bernama news agency reported on June 14^th. Singapore vehicles accounted for 37.4 percent of the unsettled traffic summonses issued to non-Malaysians from 2000 to 2013, according to the Malaysian police. In total, Singapore vehicles account for 518,510 unsettled traffic summonses, which amounts to an estimated RM75 million (S$27 million).

To help Malaysian traffic police detect traffic offenders more efficiently, an Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system is expected to be operational by August. Bukit Aman Traffic Police staff officer Superintendent (Supt) Zulkefly Yahya told Bernama news agency that under the first phase, ANPR scanners would be installed at nine entry points on the Malaysian border.

Singapore motorists who do not wish to be surprised by the traffic police when visiting Malaysia can check if they have any outstanding summons online and pay the fines through Malaysian government portals www.myeg.com.my and www.rilek.com.my. An account needs to be created before the checks can be made.

Malaysian authorities have tightened checks on Singapore-registered cars that owe traffic fines across the Causeway. In an operation conducted between 27^th December last year and 1^st January, several drivers were stopped by Malaysian police and asked to pay multiple traffic fines on the spot, a report by The Straits Times report said.